l all my crimes, and another to tell
them to the priest!--and were such space granted me, it is five to one I
would employ it otherwise."

"Hardened wretch, blaspheme not! Tell me what thou hast to say, and I
leave thee to thy fate," said Durward, with mingled pity and horror.

"I have a boon to ask," said Hayraddin; "but first I will buy it of you;
for your tribe, with all their professions of charity, give naught for
naught."

"I could well nigh say, thy gifts perish with thee," answered Quentin,
"but that thou art on the very verge of eternity.--Ask thy boon--reserve
thy bounty--it can do me no good--I remember enough of your good offices
of old."

"Why, I loved you," said Hayraddin, "for the matter that chanced on the
banks of the Cher; and I would have helped you to a wealthy dame.
You wore her scarf, which partly misled me, and indeed I thought that
Hameline, with her portable wealth, was more for your market penny than
the other hen sparrow, with her old roost at Bracquemont, which Charles
has clutched, and is likely to keep his claws upon."

"Talk not so idly, unhappy man," said Quentin; "yonder officers become
impatient."

"Give them ten guilders for ten minutes more," said the culprit,
who, like most in his situation, mixed with his hardihood a desire of
procrastinating his fate, "I tell thee it shall avail thee much."

"Use then well the minutes so purchased," said Durward, and easily made
a new bargain with the Marshals men.

This done, Hayraddin continued.--"Yes, I assure you I meant you well;
and Hameline would have proved an easy and convenient spouse. Why, she
has reconciled herself even with the Boar of Ardennes, though his mode
of wooing was somewhat of the roughest, and lords it yonder in his sty,
as if she had fed on mast husks and acorns all her life."

"Cease this brutal and untimely jesting," said Quentin, "or, once more I
tell you, I will leave you to your fate."

"You are right," said Hayraddin, after a moment's pause; "what cannot
be postponed must be faced!--Well, know then, I came hither in this
accursed disguise, moved by a great reward from De la Marck, and hoping
a yet mightier one from King Louis, not merely to bear the message of
defiance which yon may have heard of, but to tell the King an important
secret."

"It was a fearful risk," said Durward.

"It was paid for as such, and such it hath proved," answered the
Bohemian. "De la Marck attempted before to communicate with